Emily Dickinson Lexicon

shawl, n. [Pers. shāl.]

1. Small cape; sleeveless wrap; soft outer covering of crocheted cotton; (Dickinson was wearing a blue shawl when Thomas W. Higginson visited her).
2. Cloak; mantle; piece of knitting; material of woven wool that a woman may wear across her shoulders as a protection from the cold.
3. Tissue; textile; [kenning: “shawl of Pink”] blush; flush of circulating blood; reddish coloring of the skin due to embarrassment.
4. Band; swathe; swaddling cloth; [fig.] leafage; forest foliage; red, orange, brown, or golden leaves on trees, bushes, and other plants.